Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The building located at the 16 quai des Salinières in Bordeaux is part of the major 18th century urban project to create a uniform facade along the Garonne. This project, initiated by intendant Claude Boucher in 1746, was realized by the construction of a quay and border architectures, whose plans were designed by Jacques Gabriel in 1729. After Boucher's death, the project was taken over by Aubert de Tourny and Ange-Jacques Gabriel, son of Jacques, culminating in 1748 in a monumental perspective extending the Place Royale (now Place de la Bourse).

The facades of this architectural ensemble follow a rigorous model: a ground floor and a basement space, marked by arches in the middle of the hangar, surmounted by two square floors and an attic with the Mansard pierced by skylights. Slits and carved motifs with arcade keys, as well as original frames and larmies, give these facades their distinctive character, despite the partial disappearance of wrought iron balconies. The arcades, sometimes altered by the installation of shops on the ground floor, nevertheless bear witness to the urban and aesthetic ambition of the time.

Ranked Historic Monument in 1951 for its facade and roof, this building illustrates the legacy of architects Jacques Gabriel and Angel-Jacques Gabriel. Their work reflects a desire for symmetry and grandeur, characteristic of the urban developments of the Enlightenment in Bordeaux, then in full economic expansion thanks to maritime trade. The location on the docks, facing the river, also highlighted the central role of the Garonne in the development of the city.

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